Machine automation environments include many types of processing plants, fabrication facilities, assembly lines, and production operations. Devices in machine automation environments are commonly configured, controlled, or monitored using software and automated control mechanisms. In many cases, the software is implemented in the form of a graphical user interface.
A typical machine automation environment includes various devices such as pumps, drives, motors, starters, robots, sensors, switches, actuators, or other devices, including combinations thereof. Machine controllers, control elements, or controllers of other types are often used to control these devices. Machine controllers often interface with multiple devices and have many inputs and outputs. Variable names are typically assigned to the inputs and outputs such that they can be referenced in the software used to create control logic. The control logic is used by the controller to configure, control, or monitor the devices.